Ravish

by Marie Tuhart

  “No, thank you. I appreciate your help, but this is my business. I’ll talk to Max.”

  “All right.” Colby grinned. “Now that you’ve decided to let your accountant weigh in, I think we’re done.” Colby pushed the paper and pen away, then drew her out of her chair. “We play.”

  Chapter 12

  “You look like you’re in shock,” Colby said as they left her accountant’s office Wednesday afternoon.

  “I am.” The amounts her accountant threw out at them still bounced around in her head.

  “I would think you’d be happy you’re doing so well.” Colby helped her into her car, then climbed behind the wheel.

  “I am. I just didn’t expect...” She shook her head. “I knew the café was doing well, but not that well.”

  “Your accountant agrees with me about what to charge the club.”

  “Yes, but it seems like a lot. I’m mean I’m raising the price by forty percent.”

  “I bet Max doesn’t even blink an eye at it.” Colby pulled up in front of her duplex.

  “I hope you’re right.” She climbed out of her car and looked at him. “Are you coming in?”

  “If you want me to.”

  “Yes, I need to talk this out with someone.”

  He guided her inside, and Lara poured them both something to drink and put some cookies on a plate.

  “I never thought to ask, do you need to get back to your shop?” she asked.

  “No. Kase and Issac can take care of the store for the rest of the day.”

  “All right.” She put the file of papers from her accountant in front of her and opened it.

  “My accountant suggested expanding, but I’m not sure how to do that without moving, and that would be a hassle.”

  “I noticed the ice cream shop next to you is closing,” he said.

  “Yes. The owner is up there in age. Mr. Torrino said his kids aren’t interested, and he wants to retire.”

  “Does Mr. Torrino own the building?”

  “I believe so.”

  “Maybe check with him and see if he’ll sell to you.” Lara tilted her head. “I can talk with Zeke since he’s in construction, but he could probably remove the wall between your café and the ice cream shop to open the space up. You could expand your freezer space and your counter and just about double your seating area.”

  Lara rubbed her forehead. “That’s a lot.”

  Colby smiled. “It is, but think about it. Look how popular you are. The only time there’s an empty table at the café is late in the afternoon when you’re getting ready to close.”

  “True.” Lara couldn’t believe how busy she’d gotten, and based on the information her accountant had given her, she needed to do something with the money. And the best thing to do with profit was to plow it back into the business. “Thank you for coming with me and helping me understand all this.”

  “If it doesn’t upset you, I agree with your accountant that you need an onsite bookkeeper.”

  “She’s right. I don’t know why I didn’t think about that sooner.”

  “By expanding, you can create a small office for them to work in with a computer and everything they need.”

  “It’s all so much.” Lara shook her head.

  “One step at a time.” Colby squeezed her hand. “First step, check on the sale of the ice cream shop and go from there.”

  “Right.” Lara took her pen and began making a list. This was her go-to for figuring out what needed to be done when.

  * * * *

  Lara walked around the club on Saturday. She’d talked with Max on Thursday about the cost of catering, and he agreed without blinking an eye, just as Colby had said. Max agreed that having one of Lara’s employees come to the club wasn’t viable, but someone from the club could help her.

  On Friday, she and Max talked with Hannah since she’d helped before. Hannah was only too happy to pitch in. When Lara offered to pay her, Hannah told her no; it was fun to do the food, and she didn’t want to be paid. Lara wasn’t sure how she felt about that, but she’d figure something out. Max told her he’d make some sort of arrangement with Hannah in lieu of pay, which made Lara feel better.

  “Hello, my beautiful lady.” Arms slid around her waist from behind, and she was pulled against a warm chest. The scent of leather and oil told her it was Colby.

  “Done for tonight, Sir?”

  “Yes.” He nuzzled her neck. “You still want me to flog you here in the club tonight?”

  Lara swallowed as her gut clenched. “Yes, let’s do it, Sir.” This was important to Colby. While she still hadn’t figured out why having him flog her in the club bothered her, she wanted to try.

  His arms tightened around her waist. “Station four is open; why don’t you go over there while I get my bag?”

  “Yes, Sir.” Lara made her way over to station four. Spanking bench. That shouldn’t be too bad. Colby arrived and set his bag on the floor.

  “I’ll get things set up.” He dropped a kiss on her lips before he mounted the stage. Lara watched him move the spanking bench, open his bag, and take out the rabbit flogger and the suede flogger, lotion, and he’d grabbed a blanket.

  He turned to her and held out his hand. Lara took a deep breath and placed her hand in his. Once in the scene area with him, her heart sped up. There was something to be said about getting into the right head space.

  “We haven’t used a spanking bench before.” He guided her over to it. The wooden contraption made her think of something out of the 1800s they used to punish people on. “Basically, you kneel here.” He patted the low padded bench. “Then lean over. This will support your upper body. There is a place for you to rest your arms and head.”

  “I see, Sir.” She did. A tremor of unease slid up her spine.

  “Since this is your first time, I won’t restrain you.”

  “Thank you, Sir.” They’d played at his place with restraints while he flogged her ass. But here in the club... Another shiver went over her skin. Appearances. The word slipped into her mind, and she tried to push it away.

  “Ready?”

  Lara hesitated, and Colby’s eyes narrowed. “Yes, Sir.”

  His forehead creased with a frown. “Lara, if this isn’t what you want, we don’t do it.”

  She opened her mouth and closed it. “I’m fine, Sir.”

  “Safe word?”

  “Cookies.” It was something she wasn’t liable to scream out during sex, and she could remember it. Lara stepped up to the bench and knelt down.

  The padding cradled her knees. Nice. Colby helped her lay down. The spanking bench was set at the perfect height for her to bend at the waist without putting pressure on her stomach.

  She laid her arms alongside her body on the shelves, as she thought of them, and laid her head on the small pillow.

  “Breathe, sweetheart.” Colby rubbed her back even though she still had a sports bra on.

  Lara took a shaky breath as she watched Colby walk over to the table where he’d set up his floggers and pick up the rabbit flogger.

  His fingers caressed her upper thighs and played with the elastic waist band on her boy shorts. “I’m going to pull these down around your knees.”

  “Yes, Sir.” Her voice came out soft and shaky.

  The cool air caressed her ass as he pulled her shorts down. Every muscle in her body tensed up. Breathe, relax, she told herself. Pretend we’re at home, and you’re bent over the sofa arm.

  Colby trailed the tails of the flogger over her ass, up and down her ass crack, making her shiver at the sensation. So soft and sensual. Her limbs relaxed.

  She tensed with the first swat and blinked at the pain. Not that there hadn’t been pain in the past when he flogged her, but he was using the rabbit flogger. That shouldn’t hurt. Relax. Easier said than done. She couldn’t get out of her own head and enjoy what Colby was doing to her.

  After the fifth swat, Colby stopped and rubbed her ass. “Sweetheart, you’re way
too tense.” He continued to massage her ass.

  “Sorry, Sir.” She didn’t know what else to say.

  Colby’s concerned face came into her line of vision. “Nothing to be sorry about. You’re not enjoying this, are you?”

  “I...” Tears of frustration filled her eyes. Why couldn’t she do this? She was failing. She hated failing at anything, but she was also disappointing Colby. The pain in her chest felt like a dagger through her heart.

  “Sweetheart.” Colby motioned to someone who took the flogger from him and handed him a blanket. He stood and the blanket covered her backside. “Can you rise up on your knees?”

  “Yes, Sir.” She hated that tremor in her voice. Using her arm, she pushed up and got to her knees. Colby was right there, gathering the blanket around her before he lifted her into his arms.

  He carried her off the stage and into the aftercare area. “I’m going to set you on the sofa, clean up our scene, and I’ll be back. Don’t move.”

  She nodded and watched him walk away through her tears. She ruined this for him. She was a failure. Big time.

  * * * *

  “I’m sorry,” Lara said, blinking back her tears. Why couldn’t she stop the waterworks? This was so unlike her.

  “Sweetheart.” Colby put his arm around her shoulders as he walked her into her duplex.

  “I’m letting you down.” She hung her purse on the coat tree. “Don’t say I’m not. I saw the disappointment in your eyes.” Why couldn’t she drop her inhibitions in the club? It wasn’t like anyone cared. Heck, only her ass had been bare.

  “You could never disappoint me, sweetheart. We’re still trying to figure us out. Whether or not you are comfortable playing in the club is secondary.”

  “It doesn’t feel right to make you wait.”

  Colby cupped her cheek. “I’ll wait however long you need.”

  “I don’t deserve you.” Lara couldn’t believe how giving Colby was.

  “I think you mean I don’t deserve you.” His lips turned up. “Now, let’s go to bed.” Colby guided her into her bedroom.

  An hour later, Lara was still awake. She’d let Colby down tonight. Monday, she’d call Sierra and see if they could plan some time to talk privately. After the café closed. Lara needed to figure out why playing at the club was such a hard sell for her.

  * * * *

  A little over a week had passed since the night they played. Lara and Sierra had talked and talked. Sierra’s experiences in the club, good and bad, helped Lara understand more. Lara was also beginning to wonder if there was a connection between her family and how concerned they were with appearances affecting her in the club. She still had a lot to think through.

  Lara blew out a breath as she finally got a minute to herself. The café was full. A group of bikers came in earlier, ten of them. All the tables had been full, so it had been a juggle as people finished to make sure she could get them seated together.

  “Lara.”

  She glanced up to see her brother Keith. “What do you want?” She was tired of her family. Her mother called her at least once a week, nagging her to come to the family home for dinner. While there hadn’t been any further incidents, having her brother show up wasn’t completely unexpected.

  “Get those bikers out of here.”

  Lara rolled her eyes; her brother had all but yelled the words. “They are more welcome here than you are. Please leave, or you’ll force me to get the police involved.”

  “You won’t call the police on me. Besides, with these hoodlums here, your business is going to go downhill. You’re going to lose everything.”

  “Get over yourself.” Lara looked at Eve and nodded. They’d talked about this. Eve would call the police. Lara hated doing it, but Keith wasn’t giving her a choice. “I’ve asked you to leave.” Lara kept her voice calm.

  “Not with these thieves here.” He raised his voice, waving his hand at the bikers.

  One of the bikers stood up. Lara held her hand up, and he stopped. He had his cell phone in his hand. Great. They’d probably called Colby. “These men are worth ten of you, so let’s not go there.”

  “You are so naive.”

  Lara laughed. “Keith, go home and tell Father these scare tactics are not going to work.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Oh, come on. You’ve already threatened me by saying you’re watching me. Go ahead, watch me. Then someone breaks into my duplex but takes nothing.” She shook her head. Then it hit her right that she didn’t have a thing to be afraid of. What she did in her private life was private. If people couldn’t handle that, it wasn’t her problem. A weight lifted off her shoulders.

  “It’s for your own good. You’re dating a guy who runs a leather store.”

  “I am. Colby is his name. He’s a good man and runs a legitimate business.”

  “You need to listen to me.”

  “No, I don’t.” Lara turned as her brother threw out his hands. Pain exploded over her cheek.

  “That’s assault,” a male voice said as the bikers all rose to their feet. Another one pulled his cell out.

  “Do not call him,” Lara said to the bikers as she held her hand up to them. She didn’t want them getting into trouble. She glared at her brother.

  “Oh my God. Lara, it was an accident. I swear it was.”

  “Get out, Keith, and don’t come back. Ever.” The throbbing in her cheek made her head hurt. Her brother turned and high-tailed it out of the café. Officer Wolfe held the door open.

  “Outside,” Logan said to Keith, then he spoke to Lara. “You need some ice.”

  “Why are you always the one to answer the call?” she asked.

  “Just lucky.” He shrugged and led her to an empty chair.

  “Here’s some ice,” Eve said, handing Lara ice wrapped in a towel.

  “Thanks.”

  “I’ll take care of the customers,” Eve said and bustled away.

  Lara put the ice to her cheek and winced.

  “You’re going to have one hell of a bruise,” Logan said, pulling out his notebook. “Want to tell me what happened?”

  Lara told Logan, with the bikers confirming her report as did several of the customers who came up to make sure she was okay. They’d just finished up when Colby came flying into the café.

  She let out a groan and glared at the bikers.

  “It wasn’t me,” Logan said, standing. Turning to Lara, he said, “If you want to press charges, let me know.”

  “Thanks.”

  Logan passed Colby and said something too soft for Lara to hear. Colby’s shoulders lost some of their tension as he walked toward her. He stopped and clapped a couple of the bikers on the shoulder, then he was in front of her.

  “Are you okay?”

  “The best I can be at the moment.”

  Colby lifted his hand and ran his palm over her hair. “How bad?”

  “It was an accident.” She did believe that. Her brother had been truly horrified.

  “You’re not listening. How bad?” He tapped her hand holding the ice to her cheek.

  Lara lowered her hand. Colby’s eyes turned glacial.

  “It’s red, but at least the ice is helping, so it’s not swelling much. Keep the ice on for another ten minutes,” he said, his voice controlled.

  “I will. You didn’t need to rush over here.”

  “I will always come when you need me.” He looked at the bikers and inclined his head.

  Colby’s cell rang. He let out a sigh and answered. “Yes, okay Kase, I’ll be right there.” He glanced at her, indecision in his gaze.

  “Go,” Lara said. “Kase needs you.”

  “Call me when you’re ready to leave for the day. No excuses,” he said when she opened her mouth. “I want to make sure you get home okay.”

  “Yes.” Lara dropped her voice. “Sir.”

  Colby’s eyes flared with passion. “Behave.” He touched her nose before turning and walking out of the caf�
� with the bikers following him.

  * * * *

  Colby stepped outside the café and took a deep breath.

  “Don’t do anything rash, Colby,” Logan said from where he lounged against his vehicle.

  “Glad you’re still here. Her brother is at my shop creating trouble.”

  Logan straightened. “Let’s go. I’m getting sick of him.”

  “You know if you arrest him, he’ll be out on bail within hours,” Colby said as they power-walked down the street to his shop.

  “I know, but there have to be consequences to his actions. It might have been an accident that he hit Lara, but I’m getting tired of him harassing her.”

  “You and me both.” Colby pushed open the door to his shop to see Lara’s brother Keith arguing with Kase.

  “Oh good,” Keith said when he saw Colby and Logan. “This man accused me of stealing.”

  “I did no such thing,” Kase said.

  “Take a break, Kase,” Colby said to the man. Kase was a good guy, but Keith calling Kase a liar was a hot spot. Kase spent time in juvie for a crime he didn’t commit.

  “Sure, boss.” Kase walked away into the small employee area they had.

  Colby turned to Keith. “Look, I don’t care if you don’t like me, what I sell, or the people I sell to. But leave Lara and my employees the hell alone.”

  “She’s my sister.”

  “She’s my girlfriend.” What a mundane name for what he felt for Lara. She was so much more. How much? Colby’s heart warmed at the thought, but this wasn’t the time. He pushed it into a small corner of his heart to figure out later. Right now, he had business to take care of.

  “Family first.”

  Colby rolled his eyes.

  “I want that employee fired,” Keith said.

  “Not going to happen.” Colby looked at Logan. “Give me a minute.” Colby pulled out his phone and found what he wanted. “Logan.” Colby handed him his phone.

  Logan pressed the play button and watched the vid, his eyes widening. Just as he looked at Keith, two more police officers walked into Colby’s shop. “I called for backup from outside the café,” Logan said as he handed Colby his phone back.